Why Everyone is Embracing the Ghoul Girl Aesthetic This Spring
From being considered a rebel movement in the 1970s to becoming high fashion, the gothic look is returning to this year's catwalks.
Striking eyes, nude lips, a well-contoured face, and thin, grey eyebrows. These are some of the characteristics of the ghoul girl- the cool gothic aesthetic that is on the rise in the world of beauty and has already conquered the most significant catwalks in Milan and Paris. It's not just the runways, either. Celebrities, including Julia Fox, Kylie Jenner, Bella Hadid, Gabbriette Bechtel, and Amelia Gray, are stepping out in soft goth looks and taking the style to another level of elegance.
The ghoul girl trend reemerged after the success of the Netflix series Wednesday, a spin-off of the famous film series The Addams Family. The story narrates the haunting daily life of Wednesday Addams, now a teenager, played by actress Jenna Ortega. Ortega's style during the show drew so much attention that brands such as Dior, Louis Vuitton, Paco Rabanne, and Tom Ford all turned to a more gothic approach for their Spring/Summer 2023 collections. Blacks, whites, and greys are central to the style, contrasting the cleaner looks that have marked the last few seasons.
From the '70s to the '90s, more aggressive accessories were in demand. Combat boots, black eyeliner, and dark lipstick were at the forefront of fashion. Currently, the style has evolved in a similar manner with a few new additions.
The term gothic first appeared during the 12th century in Europe, initially referring to the architecture and literature of that time. In London in the late 1970s, the word gained new meaning, as it started to refer to a post-funk musical style. This genre was marked by more melancholy and sentimentalist lyrics and funk artists wore more obscure fashion—a blend of black, red, and purple designs and striking makeup, especially around the eyes.
Another feature of this aesthetic was buying secondhand clothing, which people did to counteract mass consumption. Thus, it was common for goths to wear unique, vintage pieces or custom pants, dresses, and blouses to express their own style.
Currently, the style has undergone a transformation and has officially entered the fashion world with softer and more elegant characteristics. In terms of makeup, the eyes are the center of attention, while the lips and eyebrows are basically erased. The hair is messy or braided, and the clothing is more fitted to the body, with more emphasis on neutral colors, lace, and sheer fabric.
Black still remains the classic color of the gothic aesthetic, but that doesn't mean all other color is excluded. Mixing in white or grey details can break up the heaviness of an all-black look.
